#WattpadProblems

Comment Etiquette

Dedicated to ProjectLove and other authors that have left the site or feel like they should due to individuals making their time difficult either with rude comments, cyberbullying or anything else. You shouldn't have to go through that or feel like you need to leave the site because of it. There are true fans that know it's wrong, and those fans ask you to keep up your work because we do care and we will notice when you leave and miss you.

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Let's face it, there are some rude people on this website. This website is supposed to be for support and constructive criticism for aspiring writers. I can't believe that writers now have to leave massages for fans about how to comment on their work, some authors have a whole page of their work dedicated to it, others give you a blurb, but the one thing they all want is for readers to treat their stories with respect. What has it come to when you can't even give that to another person's work?

"I am here mostly to read, if I do decide to write please don't criticize too much. This is my first time actually posting my ideas to the world and I'm very sensitive. Above all, when I do write I expect respectful comments. If you respect me, I will respect you. Deal?"

I couldn't agree more with this author, and that's exactly why I'm writing this chapter.

I read a story, where the author had to have a full page dedicated to comment etiquette. Why is this needed? Because of rude commenters on Wattpad!

Think about what you would want if you wrote a story! If someone was to give you criticism, you want it to be supportive, but tell you what you need to fix. Some people try to give advice like that, recently I had a user tell me that my story had plot holes... but didn't tell me what they were, where they were or how to fix them! How can I fix them if you don't tell me? If you don't tell the author what to fix what the issues were your comment comes off as rude. You have to tell them how to fix it and say the stuff they did right, otherwise you come off as a jerk and the author may not have something nice to say to you when they read it.

There are a few people that comment that have absolutely nothing nice to say and just want to complain. Here's a secret if you are one of those people: You don't have to read the book! If you don't like the book, then don't complain about why you thought the story was awful because you're going to look like a jerk and you're hurting the authors feelings. Do people forget that authors are people? They have feelings! Would you want someone to leave a comment telling you only what they hated when you liked your story? No, you wouldn't! It's seriously that simple.

If you're going to comment, don't just say the bad things, if you're giving criticism then give constructive criticism. If you want to comment, then tell the author why you liked it. If you have absolutely nothing nice to say, and you wouldn't want to get that comment, then keep it to yourself! 

The big one: This site is free! The authors on here are writing for you, and themselves and they are doing it for free! I'm seeing more and more people leave wattpad because readers and leaving nasty comments about how much they don't like their stories, or how much they hated it, and sometimes even worse. Let me tell you, that's Harassment and cyberbullying! Do you hear me? Those are punishable offenses and Wattpad will not tolerate it! I have lost friends, fellow authors, because of rude people on wattpad and more authors are threatening to leave because of this issue!

These authors are writing for free! Why can you not appreciate that? If you have nothing nice to say, then just don't say it! If you don't like the story, then don't read it. You don't have to tell the author that you didn't like it, if you bought the book would you be emailing them to tell them you didn't like their work? No! You wouldn't even bother! So why do it here? 

This story is dedicated to all authors that felt they had to leave the site do to harassment, cyber bullying, rude comments, and anything else. These people should have supported you, and said constructive criticism or at least polite remarks. ProjectLove, a friend of ours, left because someone made her time on Wattpad utterly difficult. Another friend of ours, Lydia161290 received rude remarks about her work and feels that if it continues she will leave. Makeandoffer, jasminethedreamer and many more authors that go through cyberbullying. This site is for support, and these authors let you read their stories for free. How about you show a little respect?

Unless you want to lose some amazing authors, then spread the word. Tell others that rude comments and cyber bullying will not be allowed on this site. Report them, tell Wattpad, because otherwise you will lose more and more authors. If they never publish their books, you'll never know how they end, and then you won't have the ending. So next time you write a comment, how about you think about how you would take the comment. Did you write something nice? Did you at least say what the author had to fix if you found a problem? or did you just say what was wrong and what you didn't like about the work, if this is your answer, delete it and don't comment. These authors aren't on here for those comments, next time think before you comment.